1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to technique for a user interface applied to a device for controlling various kinds of applications such as video games, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, various kinds of video games such as a video game called an RPG (role-playing game: a game in which a player plays a role of a character in a world of the game, and accomplishes a predetermined object while enjoying a process that the character grows through various experiences), a simulation game and the like have been provided.
In recent years, as such video games, various kinds of video games, which allow a player to intuitively carry out various kinds of operations using a touch panel or the like, have been proposed.
In order to operate an object such as a character displayed on a display screen in a game using a touch panel, conventionally, a virtual controller or an action icon is displayed on a display screen and an operation input by a user or player is received using this virtual controller or the like.
As such a game, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-183047, for example, describes a game in which a player makes a touch input on an image to move it into a predetermined area on a display screen and makes a touch input on an image region of a determination button to progress the game.
However, in such a conventional video game, the virtual controller or the like for receiving an operation input from a user is fixedly displayed at a predetermined position on a display screen. Therefore, there has been a problem in which disadvantage may occur that a display portion of the virtual controller becomes a blind area and a game item and the like displayed in the portion become invisible.
The problem described above is not limited to a video game, and the similar problem has also been inherent in various kinds of other applications.